Vacuum cleaner



y 3- w. J. CLEMENTS VACUUM CLEANER Filed July 16, 1930 2 Sheets- Sheet 1i E M 66 a w n. w 0 I 4 a & ll: 6

July 18, 1933.

w. J. cLEMENT's 1,918,519

VACUUM CLEANER Filed July 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 18,1933 UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J CLEMENTS, OF RIVER FOREST,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '10 CLEMENTS MFG. (30., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS VACUUM CLEANER Application filed July 16,

. claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings, wherein-- Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Figure 2 is a detail of the handle;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line l& of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section similar to Figure 3 with parts in differentpositions;

Figure 6 is a section on the line '6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a section on the line of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 with parts in a differentposition;

Figure 10 is a similar view with the parts in a still differentposition;

Figure 11 is a section on the line 1111 of Figure 6; and

Figure 12 is a detail.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specificationand drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A generally indicates a vacuum cleanerstructure which includes a motor housing A and a fan chamber A Since themotor and fan do not of themselves form any part of the presentinvention, motor and fan are not indicated in detail. A indicates aconductive connection for the motor which may be plugged in as by theplug A into the switch box A, A indicating a switch whereby the currentmay be turned on 1930. Serial No. 468,312.

and off. A is a forward extension of the fan chamber, which may beremovable therefrom and which may include the downwardly extending andlaterally expanded inlet and brush containing nozzle A rotatable withinwhich is any suitable brush A", which may be driven by the belt A. fromthe motor rotated spindle A.

The motor is supported for example upon a pair of wheels B mounted on orbeneath the fan casing. A pair of wheels 13 are rotatably positionedwithin the nozzle A. B "indicates a rear wheel for supporting theopposite end of the motor housing. It may be mounted upon the lever Badjustable as by the thumb screw B, whereby the vacuum cleaner as aWhole may be rotated about the wheels B, to raise or lower the height ofthe nozzle A The supplemental wheels B within the nozzle serve to limitthe downward movement of the nozzle toward the floor and to prevent itsbeing positioned in such close proximity to the floor as would preventproper suction. In the position in which the parts are shown in Figure 1the cleaner has in effect a five point support. Tilting the lever B inone direction or the other may lift the rollersB 1 or the rollers B fromthe floor, but it cannot be effective to thrust the lower edge of thenozzle A lower than the position in which it is shown in Figure 1. y

D generally indicates a handle structure which includes a lower handleportion 1), V

whichmay be of metal and formed inone piece; It terminates in the lowerfork D rotatable upon the pin D which is shown in detail in Figure 12and is shown as having aknurled head D and a spring D which preventsunintended axial movement of the pin. Mounted on the interior of thefork D is a lug D which is adapted to be engaged by the fork D of thelever DTwhich is rotatably mounted on the bushing D which surrounds thepin 1') and is fixed in relation to the housing D Coiled about thebushing D is the coil spring D one end of which abuts against theinterior of the housing wall, as shown in Figure 11, the other end ofwhich engages a pin or lug D upon the lever D The spring normally tendsto move the lever D? in clockwise position as shown in Figures 8 to 11,thus tending to throw the lever into the position in which it is shownin dotted line in Figure 8 or the full line in Figure 11. T hustheeffeet of the spring, and the lever D, is to move the fork D intoupright position, thus maintaining the handle in the positionv in whichit is'shown in Figure 1. moves in a slot D in the housing D, the slotbeing proportioned to serve as a limit to limit the forward or rearwardmovement of the lever D. At one limit the handle is in the full lineposition of Figure 8 and at the other limit it may take the dotted lineposition of Figure 8.

Positioned in the housing D is a sliding pin E which may slide in theinterior bearT ing E and in the exterior bearing E formed,

in the wall of the housing. Movement may be controlled as by theupwardly projecting handle or stop member E which passes through a slotE in the housing top. Note that said slot is centrally offset as at Ethe spring E tending 'to hold the member E in said offset portion, andalso frictionally to prevent movement of the member E and the pin in anysetting. When the member E is in the position in which it is shown inFigures 6 and 7 the lever l) and the handle are freely movable. When themember E? is in intermediate position in the offset E the end of the pinE projects outwardly through the aperture E a suflicient distance toengage the fork D as shown in Figure 10 to limit the downward movementof the fork to the full line position of Figure 10. Otherwise themovement of the fork or handle is not controlled or impeded; When themember E is moved farther, to the right i hand end of. the slot Ereferring to its position in Figure 7, then the end of the pin Eprojects outwardly so far through the aperture E that it can penetratethe aperture E of the-\ofi'set portion or lug E of the fork D, at thattime effecting a positive locking function and preventing any move-,ment of the fork D? or the handle. The parts are shown in this lockingposition in Figure 9,

As shown in Figure 1 thelower handle portion D extends upwardly asubstantial distance from the fork D Mounted in the upper end thereof isa spring leaf G fixed at one end as at G, the free end being alignedwith anaperture G Adjacent such aperturea cam member G is pivoted and isprovided with a manual or finger controlled handle G. (it indicates anupper handle member cut away as at G to provide a flat face opposed tothe spring G. This flatface G .is of substantial length. to permit asubstantially longitudinal adjustment of the v handle. The operator mayclamp the cam. (Si by. use of the member G at any position The lever Iing adapted to serve as limit means for limalong the flat portion G thusadjusting the handle as to height.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practicaland operative device, nevertheless many changes might n be made in thesize, shape, number and disposition of parts withoutdeparting from the Vspirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings tobe taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather thanas limiting me to my specific showing.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: Y

Referring to the structure shown in de- 8( tail in Figures 6 to .12 Iemploy a ready looking means, including the pin E, which has threepositions or adjustments. At one adjustment, as shown in Figure 7, ithas no effect whatsoever upon the movement of the handle, which-may beswung freely by the operator in employing the device. The pressure ofthe spring D on the lever D normally holds the handle in uprightposition,

but its pressure is insufficient to hamper the ac operator in depressingthe handle. When the pin E is in intermediate position, with the memberE engaging the offset E of the slot E then the projecting end of the pinlimits the downward movement of the han- 9. dle. The purpose of-this isto permit the operator readily to tilt the vacuum cleaner as whenlifting it over the edges of rugs and the like. A further movement ofthe pin E permits a positive locking of the handle in IC an intermediatedepressed position, the pos tion in which it is shown in Figure 9. Arigidmounting of the handle in relation to the cleaner is useful formany purposes. for example for permitting the cleaner to be 10 readilymanipulated in cleaning stairs or in lifting it from one level toanother.

The handle is adjustable as to length by employment of the structureshown in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive and including an upper 11 handlemember G longitudinally slidable in the lower handle D The spring leaf Gand its controlling cam Gr provides locking means operable at anypoint-along the flattened portion (it of the member G thus permitting a11 very substantial adjustment of the length of the handle.

I claim:

1. In a vacuumcleaner, a cleaner body, a handle pivoted in relationthereto, means 15 tending normally to move said handle into a generallyupright position', including a lever, an operative connection betweensaid lever and said handle, and yielding means tending normally torotate said lever in a predetermined direction, and a housing withinwhich said lever is pivoted, said housing being apertured to permit thelever to extend therefrom, opposite ends of said aperture beiting theare through which said lever and handle may rotate.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a cleaner body, a housing positioned upon saidbody, a handle pivoted in relation to said housing, the axis of rotationof said handle passing through said housing, means tending normally tomove said handle into a generally upright position, including a leverpivoted within said housing and an operative connection between saidlever and said handle, and yielding means tending normally to rotatesaid lever in a predetermined direction; in combination with a lockingelement, associated with said housing, and means for moving it, saidelement being adapted, when in one position to restrict the rotation ofsaid handle to an are less than its normal maximum arc of possiblerotation.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a cleaner body, a housing positioned upon saidbody, a handle pivoted in relation to said housing, the axis of rotationof said handle passing through said housing, means tending normally tomove said handle into a generally upright position, including a leverpivoted within said housing and an operative connection between saidlever and said handle, and yielding means tending normally to rotatesaid lever in a predetermined direction; in combination with a lockingelement associated with said housing, and means for moving it, saidelement being adapted, when in one position, to prevent rotation of saidhandle.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a cleaner body, a housing positioned upon saidbody, a handle. pivoted in relation to said housing, the axis ofrotation of said handle passing through said housing, means tendingnormally to move said handle into a generally upright position,including a lever pivoted within said housing and an operativeconnection between said lever and said handle, and yielding meanstending normally to rotate said lever in a predetermined direction; incombination with a locking pin slidably mounted in said housing, andmeans for moving it, including a handle element projecting upwardlythrough the housing, the housing being slotted, said pin being adapted,when in one position, to restrict the rotation-of said handle to an areless than its normal maximum arc of possible rotation, and being adaptedwhen in another position, to lock the handle against rotation.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a cleaner body, means for positioning said body,in predetermined position, upon a generally horizontal supportingsurface, a handle pivoted in relation thereto, the weight of the handlebeing i'nsuflicient of itself to tilt the cleaner body. yielding meanstending normally to move said handle into generally upright position,and means for limiting the are through which said handle may be moved,and means for locking the handle at a predetermined position within theare.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, a cleaner body. means for positioning said body,in predetermined position, upon a generally horizontal supportingsurface, a handle pivoted in relation thereto, the weight of the handlebeing insufficient of itself to tilt the cleaner body, yielding meanstending normally to move said handle into generally upright position.and means for limiting the are through which said handle may be moved,and additional means for limiting the movement of the handie to an arcless than the maximum arc of movement of the handle, and means forlocking the handle at a' predetermined position within the maximum arc.

WILLIAM J. oLnMnN'rs'

